Whole roasted celeriac

This looks like a creature from outer space when it comes out of theoven. With its crunchy salty skin and soft buttery middle, though, a slice is the perfect accompaniment to a number of hearty dishes and a good alternative to chips. The Onglet steak (page 188), Beef sirloin (page 186), Braised pig’s cheeks (page 198), Quail (page 204), and Turbot (page 115), for example. We like to serve this with the skin on because it looks so great, but it can be slightly bitter so you might, instead, just want a little bit of skin remaining on each slice, or to avoid most of the skin when eating. We’ve suggested this as a simple side but the dish can also be a stand-alone starter or snack to have before drinks, cut into wedges and served with a bowl of crème fraîche to dip them in and a wedge of lemon to squeeze over.